ALC-H Series · ALC-H4
ALC-H4
9004-65-3
3912.39
Technical specification
Every value is shown with its test condition. Parameters that are set per batch are confirmed on the batch COA.
| Parameter | Value | Test condition / method |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical name | Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose | — |
| CAS number | 9004-65-3 | — |
| HS code | 3912.39 | — Final classification per destination customs. |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | — |
| Ionicity | Non-ionic | — |
| Substitution degree (DS / MS) | Methoxyl 19.0–24.0% / Hydroxypropyl 4.0–12.0% | Determined per production batch, USP/GB method |
| Moisture content | Max 5.0% % | Halogen moisture analyser, 105 °C |
| pH | 5.0–8.0 (1% solution, 25 °C) | 1% aqueous solution, 25 °C |
| Particle size | Min 98% through 80 mesh (180 µm) | Dry sieving, 80 mesh |
| Bulk density | 300–500 g/L g/L | Untapped, as packed |
| Gel temperature | 55–70 °C (2% solution) °C | 2% aqueous solution, heating rate 1 °C/min |
| Ash content | Max 5.0% (as sulphate) % | Muffle furnace, 800 °C |
Typical values for this grade, not a specification guarantee — the contractual figure is the one stated in the COA issued for your batch. Viscosity is measured on a 2% aqueous solution at 20 °C, Brookfield LV, 20 rpm.
How HPMC works in a mortar is the same across grades — see the HPMC category page for the water-retention, anti-sag, open-time and film-forming mechanisms behind every grade. What changes with viscosity is the number and the application band, and those are on this page.
Applications
ALC-H4 is used in the following systems — Self-levelling compound, Water-based paint & emulsion thickening, Masonry mortar. Which viscosity band suits which system is set out in the application-and-viscosity table on the HPMC category page .
A grade that is wrong for the system costs more than the price difference between two grades. Tell us the system and we will tell you if this one is a poor fit.
Batch consistency, export documents and response time do not change with viscosity grade — they are set out under six things procurement can verify on the home page.
Sample, packaging & storage
200 g free of charge, shipped from stock. Dispatch arrangements are set out in the sample confirmation.
Store sealed and dry, below 35 °C, away from direct sunlight. Shelf life: 24 months from production date in the unopened original packaging. MOQ 1 metric ton per grade.
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FAQ
Batches typically measure between 360 and 480 mPa·s against a nominal 400 — that is −10% to +20% of nominal. The spread comes from the test method, the test conditions and the instrument, not from a drifting process. The contractual figure is the one stated on the batch COA, measured at 2% aqueous solution and 20 °C.
No. 400 mPa·s is below the band a C1 or C2 tile adhesive needs for anti-sag and open time. Use ALC-H40C or ALC-H100C for tile adhesive and keep ALC-H4 for systems that have to flow: self-levelling compounds, masonry mortars and water-based paints.
Because yield stress is the enemy of flow. In a self-levelling compound the ether has to retain water and suspend fines without building a structure that stops levelling, and that is exactly what the 400 mPa·s band does. A higher band would give more water retention per gram but wreck the flow the product is sold on.
Yes, low-viscosity HPMC is common in gypsum plasters and gypsum screeds at the lower end of the dosage table. HPMC controls water retention, not setting time — retard the set with a dedicated retarder rather than by over-dosing the ether, and confirm the dosage on a laboratory trial before a production run.
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ALC-H4